Artificial hand



Feb. 9, 1937.

D. FRIEDMAN 2,070,480

AR'I IFICIAL HAND Filed Sept. 28, 1936 Davizl Dialman INVENTORV ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to an artificial hand and more especially to a utility hook for replacing an amputated hand.

The primary object of the invention is the pro-vision of a hand or hook of this character, wherein the same when substituted for the hand of a person after amputation will function for enabling the gripping of articles so that these can be conveniently held for use and the closing members of this hand or hook being effected through spring action, thereby eliminating the use of rubber bands which necessarily become dried out and faulty while the opening of such members may be had through a push button or plunger, the closing of the members by spring action will assure a more substantial and firm grip on an article to be grasped thereby.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hand or hook of this character, wherein the use of shoulder straps or harness for accommodating the members thereof is entirely eliminated, the tensioning of the members of the hook being variable and the spring for effecting the tensioning being concealed and assembled in a novel manner.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hand or hook of this character, which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, strong, durable, conveniently used and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hand or hook constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof partly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional .view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion of the blunt end of a false forearm as used by a person when an arm and hand have been amputated. Embedded in the end of the forearm A centrally thereof is an integrally threaded socket member ID for detachable accommodation of an externally threaded lug II of a utility hook or artificial hand constituting the present invention and hereinafter fully described.

This utility hook or artificial hand comprises a pair of hooks I2 and I3, respectively, these having the outwardly and inwardly curled free ends or bills I4, the hook I2 being formed with a straight shank I5 at its inner end which joins with the lug II while the hook I3 is pivoted at I6 to this shank so that said hook I3 can swing toward and away from the hook I2 with the bills I4 in matched relation to each other on the closing of this hook I3 relative to the hook I2.

Formed with the hook I3 slightly removed from the pivotal connection I6 with the shank I5 is a barrel I! having detachably threaded thereon a cap I8 and within this barrel is a coiled retractile spring I9 having the end 20' detachably secured by a fastener 2I to the shank I5 while the end 22 of said spring is made secure to the cap I8 for the barrel I'I. This spring 19 functions to draw the hook I3 toward and in contact with the hook I2 and at all times maintains the said hooks with relation to each other under tension.

Slidably fitted in the shank I5 in the path of the hook I3 is the stem 23 of a push button 24 and this stem at its inner end has an enlargement 25 contacting with the hook I3, the button end 24 being outside of the hook I2. Surrounding the stem 23 is a coiled expansion spring 26 which plays against the button end of said stem and against the shank I5 next thereto, the purpose of the spring 26 being to hold the push button under tension and by pressing said push button 24 the stem 23 will act upon the hook I 3 moving it against the resistance of the spring I9 to an open position so that an article to be gripped by the hooks I2 and I3 can be readily grasped for the holding of such article in the use of the false hand or utility hook.

The utility hook is opened by the push button 24 and closed by the spring I9.

What is claimed is:

1. A utility hook of the kind described comprising a pair of hook members pivoted to each other, a spring urging the hook members together, a push button fitted with one of the hooks for the opening of the hook members relative to each other, an attaching stud formed on one of the hooks, and a barrel formed on one of the hooks and confining the said spring.

2. A utility hook of the kind described comprising a pair of hook members pivoted to each other, a spring urging the hook members together, a push button fitted with one of the hooks for the opening of the hook members relative to each other, an attaching stud formed on one of the hooks, a barrel formed on one of the hooks and confining the said spring, and a removable cap for the barrel and having one end of the spring connected therewith.

DAVID FRIEDMAN. 

